Subject: [mg64370] Using a text editor like interface for Mathematica?

From: grub_snuffler at yahoo.com

Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 01:31:50 -0500 (EST)

Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

I very much dislike how using Mathematica's front end is like programming in
Microsoft Word. It makes its own style and indenting choices, and I
prefer using something like the syntax-highlighted text editor format
that most traditional compilers use (e.g. Visual c++).
The tabs / spacing, fonts and colors are never right. The non-bold
fonts look anemic. I know this sound neurotic, but I program in Mathematica
frequently, so it's important.
To add to the problem, Mathematica 5.2 (and probably earlier releases) has some
nasty bug in the front end that loses track of my tabs and other
whitespaces. Occasionally (frequently) I have to cut my code and paste
it into a text editor and then cut and paste it back, which destroys
all my tabs and spacing.
I'd like to get Mathematica to be as similar as possible to a text-editor
(preferably with syntax highlighting intact), but I've never been able
to get it quite right. Does anyone know of a style sheet that does
this? Or is there any other way to do it? I just want a nice, Courier
New, 12 or 14 pt. font, with the tabs and spacing behaving *exactly*
like they do in a text editor, and with a gray background. Exactly how
I've set my VC++ editor and Textpad settings.
A million thank yous to anyone who can help.
-john